This page brings together 10 minerals that start with the letter U, ranging alphabetically from “Ulexite” to “Uytenbogaardtite.” These minerals include borates, oxides, silicates, and sulfides, and many of them are rare and prized by collectors. Some serve as important ores, while others are cut into gemstones, used as ornamental stones, or studied by researchers exploring uranium, copper, and precious-metal chemistry.
Minerals are naturally occurring solids with a defined chemical makeup and an orderly internal crystal structure. People have valued them for thousands of years, using them as gemstones, pigments, and metal ores that shaped entire civilizations. One mineral here, Ulexite, even earns the nickname “TV rock” because its fibers carry images from one side to the other.
Below you’ll find the table with the Mineral and Description columns.
Mineral: This gives you the name of each mineral, listed in alphabetical order so you can quickly scan the list and find the one you want.
Description: This tells you what each mineral is, how it forms, and where it’s found, helping you understand its color, uses, and why it matters.
Minerals
Mineral
Ulexite
Uraninite
Uvarovite
Ussingite
Umangite
Ulvospinel
Unakite
Uvite
Ulrichite
Uytenbogaardtite
Descriptions
Ulexite
A soft, white borate mineral often called “TV rock” because its natural fibers project images from one surface to the other like fiber optics. It forms in dry lake beds and evaporite deposits.
Uraninite
A heavy, black to brownish uranium oxide mineral and the most important ore of uranium. It is strongly radioactive and a key source of radium and related elements.
Uvarovite
A rare, emerald-green member of the garnet group colored by chromium. It is prized by collectors for its vivid color and is sometimes used as a minor gemstone.
Ussingite
A rare violet to reddish sodium aluminum silicate found in alkaline rocks, notably in Greenland and Russia. It is sought by collectors for its unusual color.
Umangite
A rare copper selenide mineral with a violet to bluish-red metallic appearance. It typically occurs in small amounts alongside other selenide minerals in hydrothermal veins.
Ulvospinel
A black iron-titanium oxide of the spinel group, commonly found intergrown with magnetite in igneous rocks. It is important in studies of rock magnetism.
Unakite
A mottled green and pink ornamental rock composed of epidote, pink feldspar, and quartz. It is widely cut into beads, cabochons, and decorative stones.
Uvite
A brown to green member of the tourmaline group rich in calcium and magnesium. It forms in metamorphosed limestones and is popular with mineral collectors.
Ulrichite
A rare green calcium copper uranium phosphate mineral that is weakly radioactive. It occurs as small crystals in granitic pegmatites and was first described from Australia.
Uytenbogaardtite
A rare silver-gold sulfide mineral found in gold ore deposits. It is of interest mainly to researchers and collectors studying precious-metal mineralogy.
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